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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-24-2014 11:56 PM

DangerRanger

Balancer Holder Tool

Here's the second balancer holder tool I made to hold the balancer by the holes it has in it

05-24-2014 02:52 PM

felixthecat

Back to the top for Chris is rpm.

05-24-2014 01:46 PM

DangerRanger

Balancer Bolt Part 2

So I ccould not find the custom tool I made to hold the crank balancer the last time I did this job so I made another. Just a bar set up so I can put some 1/4 inch pins into the balancing holes drilled in the balancer to hold it good so I can torque it with a wrench and long pipe. Wouldn't you know it, after all that it only took about 40 - 50 lbs of torque to break it loose. Last time I did this it took about 200 lbs

05-24-2014 09:14 AM

DangerRanger

Balancer Bolt

Last time I had to deal with a balancer bolt it was by far the hardest part of the job. I found that the main part of it being so hard to untorque is that it has such a huge head on it which multiplies the friction. The threads are generally not tight it is the friction from the wide area of the head. If you were to grind the head off the bolt part would probably then screw right out with your fingers. I also made a special tool to hold the balancer . I was wondering if heating it a little would make it expand away from the surface or make it worse. I have to go do this again in a little bit and I hope it goes okay.

10-04-2012 08:12 AM

dapperzapper

stuck harmonic balancer bolt

Thank God I just got this dreaded bolt off!!!
All it took was a long pry bar, a 3/4" socket, a hydraulic car jack and some wood jammed down through the now-empty cylinders to stop the crank shaft from turning. Yes this has turned into a total rebuild since a valve seat came loose and ruined the pistons.

08-26-2010 10:29 AM

sailor

Posted via FF Mobiledisciplerocks - if you`ve got time to burn, check out the thread mentioned earlier when doc spent weeks in his driveway on an issue that started out this way..... First post just asked if an electric impact might do the job, ended up with a LONG project Grumpy helped lead him through...

08-26-2010 10:25 AM

whynotthinkwhynot

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjzx2sr

The best method may still be to apply heat to the bolt and hope it expands it slightly.

Nope, like sailor wrote, exactly the opposite. You apply the heat to the crank which is why it's not an easy thing to do in this case. You'd have to drop the oil pan, and at that point you might as well see if there's some way to shove a block of wood (not metal) between the crank and the block when you've gone that far. You'd be more likely to start a fire trying to do this with a propane torch which is what I've always used for heat. Now you can use heat on the bolt to disintegrate the thread lock if there is thread lock on there. You might be able to get away with heating the bolt until the crank got hot, then cooling the bolt with dry ice, but I'm afraid you'd seriously damage the integrity of the pulley at some point in there since it's the weakest metal link.

Where's the OP? Has he already broken this loose- or broken the head of the bolt off?

08-26-2010 09:15 AM

disciplerocks

^I see what you are getting at, but heat can be your friend. It will get rid of any locktight, rust or anything that could be causing it to be siezed up. Just be careful.Posted via FF Mobile

08-26-2010 09:08 AM

sailor

Posted via FF MobileUmmm.... I think you`ve got it backwards, heating bolt to expand it would make threads tighter in the hole.... Unless you`re thinking it would get enough longer when heating just the end to reduce the tension on it.... Heating bolts generally makes them snap easier & they`re tighter in whatever they screw into - heat on NUT (crankshaft in this case) would expand it, but crank isn`t accessable & I wouldn`t want to heat it much anyways! The last person with this issue had an overtorqued bolt that caused too much "sticktion" under the shoulder to turn out with reasonable force. bolt came out easily once head was cut off & tension released. That`s why I mentioned higher torque impact wrench, it`ll break or come out & removal/replacement becomes easier then - avoiding the PITA of trying to grind a LARGE head off in a confined space.....

08-25-2010 10:14 PM

jjzx2sr

The best method may still be to apply heat to the bolt and hope it expands it slightly.

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